Lyles, Bednarek throw down at US nationals

Up to now, track media and the runners themselves have tried to generate rivalries between Lyles and Erriyon Knighton (who's currently appealing a doping violation), or Lyles and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (whom Lyles beat in the Olympics last year), or even between Lyles and NFL receiver Tyreek Hill (a supposed grudge match never took place).

Turns out, they probably should have looked at the lane next to him. Bednarek has won silver and beaten Lyles the last two times they've lined up in the 200m at the Olympics, even though Lyles has had issues at both — in Tokyo with his mental health, then in Paris with COVID.

Bednarek referenced some long-simmering issues between the two.

"Just some personal stuff we've got to handle," he said.

But, when asked for something, anything, about this burgeoning rivalry, Lyles demurred, instead focusing on what a difficult year this has been for him after an injury in April kept him out of spikes until June.

"If they ain't gonna beat me now, they ain't gonna beat me ever," Lyles said. Bednarek isn't so sure of that.

The 200m final was Bednarek's fifth race of the week, counting the three heats of the 100m, the final of which he won on Friday.

Lyles, who has an automatic spot at the worlds in that event as the defending champion, only ran one heat of the 100m.

"We'll go fresh and we'll see what happens," Bednarek said. "Because I'm very confident I can beat him. That's all I can say."

On the women's side, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the 200m in a personal-best time of 21.84 seconds, while Olympic champion Gabby Thomas had to wait a few anxious moments to see if she earned a spot on the worlds team. Her named popped up in third place, putting her on the plane.

It was a winning weekend for Jefferson-Wooden, who also captured the 100m on Friday. She will be joined in the event at the worlds by Sha'Carri Richardson, who has an automatic spot as the defending champion. However, Richardson, who didn't advance to the 200m final, has again found herself in the headlines for her offtrack activities after being arrested on Sunday for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend.

One of the afternoon's most exciting finishes was in the men's 800m, where 2019 world champion Donavan Brazier used a strong kick to hold off 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus and Bryce Hoppel.

In the 5,000m, Shelby Houlihan held off Elise Cranny by less than a second to win the title. Houlihan returned this year after serving a four-year doping ban for testing positive after eating a burrito she claimed was tainted with a performance-enhancing drug.

Agencies via Xinhua